Holder for paper milk cartons and the like



March 13, 1962 w. E. YEAGER 3,024,943

HOLDER FOR PAPER MILK CARTONS AND THE LIKE Filed May 22, 1961 ig. I.

INVENTOR. WILBUR E. YEAGER BY X/ 7? his ATTORNEY 3,024,943 HOLDER FOR PAPER MILK CARTONS AND THE LIKE Wilbur E. Yeager, 738 Gallion Ave, Pittsburgh 26, Pa. Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,808 6 Claims. (Cl. 220-85) This invention relates to an auxiliary, removable handle or holder for various articles, particularly for paper milk cartons. More specifically, the invention relates to a milk carton holder of such nature and construction that the milk carton may be placed in the holder and kept therein until the carton has been emptied of its contents, the assembled carton and holder being placed as a single unit in a refrigerator or other place of storage until the carton is emptied and discarded, at which time the holder is available for the reception of the next carton.

Although not limited thereto, the present invention is particularly adaptable for use with cardboard milk cartons which are wax coated so as to render them waterproof. Cartons of this type, particularly the half-gallon size and larger, are diificult to handle when pouring due to the inherent size and weight of the carton and also the fact that the wax coating makes the container somewhat slippery. In the past, various devices have been proposed for holding milk cartons and other similar devices; however, all are deficient in one way or another, either because they are too expensive to fabricate, do not give proper support to the container, or some other reason.

As an overall object, the present invention seeks to provide a new and improved article holder which overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages of prior-art devices of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article holder for carboard milk cartons which gives positive support to the carton, regardless of its weight. A further object of the invention is to provide a holder for milk cartons which may be easily applied to or removed from the carton with a minimum amount of manipulation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an article holder, particularly adapted for use with milk bottles, which may be fabricated from either sheet metal or plastic with a minimum number of inexpensive tools, thereby minimizing the fabrication cost of the device.

, Theabove .andother objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially broken-away side or elevational view of the invention showing the manner in which a milk carton is held within the holder of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the manner in which a milk carton is inserted into the holder of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the holder of the invent-ion applied and locked to a conventional milk carton.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a waxed paper milk carton, such as the commonly used half-gallon size. The carton is of square cross section and has a roof-shaped top 12 under opposite ends of which extend folded or creased reentrant portions 16 and 18 forming inwardly converging recesses 20 and 22. The carton top 12 further includes an upstanding multiple-ply ridge flange 24, the plies of the flange being secured together by a staple 26 which is oflset from the middle of the container. The flange 29 has a central vertical score 28 permitting the unstapled half of the flap 24 to be partially severed so that the associated folded reentrant portion 16 of the carton may be pulled out to United States atent ice form a pouring spout, generally indicated at 30 in FIGS. 3 and 4. The various walls of the waxed paper carton are somewhat yielding or resilient, and are also somewhat slippery.

In accordance with the present invention, a holder for the carton 10 is provided comprising a first fiat or planar member 32 which covers one of the side walls of the carton 10 and has edges 34 and 36 bent at right angles thereto to fit over and cover the walls of the carton 10 which are connected to the said one side wall. As shown, the top of the planar member 32 has an integral triangularly-shaped, inwardly-bent portion 38 thereon which fits into the recess 22 and overlaps the reentrant portion 18. Also provided in the member 32 is an opening or aperture 40 for a purpose which will hereinafter be explained.

Slideable on the member '32 is a second member 42 having edges 44 and 46 which overlie the edges 34 and 36 of member 32. Provided at the extremities of edges 44 and 46 are reversely-bent portions 48 and 50 which form generally U-shaped guides slideable on the edges .34 and 36 whereby the member 42 may be moved upwardly or downwardly on member 32.

Integral with the member 42 is a carton-encircling strap 51 which serves to hold and support the carton within the holder during a pouring operation. As an example, the member 42 and its integral strap 51 may be formed from sheet metal such as aluminum. As shown, the lower edge 52 of strap 51 is reveresly-bent to give the strap greater strength and rigidity and provide a smooth edge. The upper end of member 42 is triangularly-shaped as at 54 and is provided with an inwardly-extending projection 56 which will slide along the surface of member 32 until it reaches the opening 40, at which point it will snap into the opening to hold the members 32 and 42 in fixed relationship. Also provided on member 42 is a handle, generally indicated at 43. Although, the members 32 and 42 are preferably formed from sheet metal, such as aluminum, any other suitable material may be used such as plastic.

The use of the holder of the invention as applied to a conventional milk carton is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, in order to insert the carton into the holder as shown in FIG. 3, the member 42 is moved downwardly on member 32 as far as possible. This permits the carton to be maneuvered at an angle into the strap 51, at which point the carton is movedinto abutting relationship with member 32. At this point, the triangularly-shaped portion 38 at the top of member 32 will move into the recess 22. Thereafter, the member 42 is moved upwardly on member 32 with the edges 34 and 36 acting as guideways until the projection 56 snaps into opening 40 to lock the two members in assembled relationship.

With the carton held within the holder in this manner, the carton and its contents will be supported by the triangularly-shaped portion 38 which fits into the recess 22, assuming that the carton is in a vertical position. When, however, the carton is tilted to pour the contents there from, the weight will be taken by the triangularly-shaped portion 38 in combination with the strap 51. In no case is the carton supported at its bottom surface, indicated at 60.

In order to remove the carton from the holder, the projection 56 is merely snapped out of opening 40 and the member 42 moved downwardly on member 32, whereupon the process of inserting the carton into the holder is reversed to remove the carton and prepare the holder for the next successive carton.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with a certain specific embodiment, it will be readily ap parent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A holder for a paper milk carton or the like having four side walls, a top wall and a laterally-opening recess under the top wall comprising, in combination, a first member adapted to fit over one of said side walls, the top of said first member having an inwardly-bent portion adapted to fit into said recess, a second member slideable on said first member, a carton-encircling strap on said second member and slideable therewith, and a handle on the second member.

2. A holder for a paper milk carton or the like having four side walls, a top wall and a laterally-opening recess under the top wall comprising, in combination, a substantially planar first member adapted to fit over and cover one of said side walls and having edges bent at right angles thereto to fit over the edges of the side walls connected to said one side wall, the top of said first planar member having a triangularly-shaped inwardly-bent portion adapted to fit into said recess, a second planar member slideable on said first member, a carton-encircling strap on said second member and slideable therewith, and a handle on the second member.

3. A holder for a paper milk carton or the like having four side walls, a top wall, and a laterally-opening recess under the top wall comprising, in combination, a substantially planar first member adapted to fit over and cover one of said side walls and having edges bent at right angles thereto to fit over the edges of the side walls connected to said one side wall, the top of said first planar member having a triangularly-shaped inwardlybent portion adapted to fit into said recess, a second planar member slideable on said first member and having edges bent at right angles thereto which overlie the edges of said first member, a carton-encircling strap on said second member and slideable therewith, and a handle on the second member.

4. A holder for a paper milk carton or the like having four side walls, a top wall and a laterally-opening recess under the top wall comprising, in combination, a substantially planar first member adapted to fit over and cover one of said side walls and having longitudinallyextending ends bent at right angles thereto to fit over the edges of the side Walls connected to said one side wall, the top of said first member having an inwardly-bent portion adapted to fit into said recess, a second planar member slideable on said first member and having ends bent at right angles thereto to fit over said ends of the first member, reversely-bent portions on the edges of the ends of said second member which fit over the edges of the ends of said first member to guide the second member for sliding movement on said first member, a cartonencircling strap on said second member and slideable therewith, and a handle on the second member.

5. A holder for a paper milk carton or the like having four side walls, a top wall and a laterally-opening recess under the top wall comprising, in combination, a substantially planar first member adapted to fit over and cover one of said side walls and having edges bent at right angles thereto to fit over the edges of the side walls connected to said one side wall, the top of said first member having an inwardly-bent portion adapted to fit into said recess, a second planar member slideable on said first member and having edges bent at right angles thereto to 'fit over the edges of said first member, a carton-encircling strap on said second member and slideable therewith, a handle on the second member, an opening in the first member adjacent the lower end of said inwardly-bent portion, and a projection on said second member adapted to snap into said opening upon upward movement of the second member and the carton-encircling strap to lock the second member and the strap in their uppermost positions on the first member.

6. A holder for a paper milk carton or the like having four side walls, a top wall and a laterally-opening recess under the top wall comprising, in combination, a first sheet metal member adapted to fit over and cover one of said side walls and having edges bent at right angles thereto to fit over the edges of the side walls connected to said one side wall, the top of said first sheet metal member having a triangularly-shaped inwardly-bent portion adapted to fit into said recess, a second sheet metal member slideable on said first member and having edges bent at right angles thereto to fit over the edges of the first member, a carton-encircling strap on said second sheet metal member and slideable therewith, a handle on the second sheet metal member, an opening in the first sheet metal member adjacent the top of said inwardly-bent portion, and an inwardly-bent projection on the top of the "second sheet metal member adapted to snap into said opening and lock the second member and the cartonencircling strap carried thereby in their uppermost positions on the first member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,958,444 Rhoe Nov. 1, 1960 2,979,225 Noffsinger Apr. 11, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 178,280 Germany Nov. 12, 1906 

